UF Hoop Eras Converge in Oklahoma

Saturday, January 28

Norman, OK

2 PM

Florida Gators

Oklahoma

Mike White (left) is in his second season coaching the Gators, while Lon Kruger, now at Oklahoma, helped establish a foundation for the UF program during his six seasons (1990-96) Gainesville. The two coaches will square off for the first time Saturday when the Gators face the Sooners in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.

UF Hoop Eras Converge in Oklahoma

Saturday, January 28, 2017 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry

Gators past and present will face off Saturday in Norman.

By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer

NORMAN, Okla. — The last few days have had something of a postseason feel, what with a couple nights in a Louisiana hotel, a game in between, then a plane ride further west, a couple more nights in a different hotel, with now another game in between. The Florida Gators have practiced in two opponents' arenas, had dedicated time for study hall, and even attended an NBA game.

Something else — something a tad surreal — has happened along the way, too.

The last three eras of Florida basketball have come together in a coincidental confluence of circumstances.

In the state of Oklahoma.

On Thursday night, the Gators bused to Oklahoma City and watched Billy Donovan, who coached or recruited eight of the 2016-17 UF players, lead his Thunder to a win over the Dallas Mavericks (and starting forward Dorian Finney-Smith, another guy with orange-and-blue ties). Meanwhile, 20 miles back at the team hotel, current Florida coach Mike White was watching tape of Oklahoma, the Gators' next opponent, which happens to be coached by Lon Kruger, who was the guy on the UF sideline before Donovan more than two decades ago.

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White, in fact, was a 17-year-old high school kid when he attended the 1994 Final Four in Charlotte with family members. His father was the athletic director at Tulane. His uncle wore a Gator hat. White has admired Kruger from afar ever since.

"How can you not respect all that Coach Kruger has accomplished at so many places?" White said. "And I'm not sure there are many people in this profession with a better reputation, as a person, than Coach Kruger."

Kruger returned the kind words on this week's Big 12 teleconference: "They're having a terrific year. Mike White has done an outstanding job with this team."

So it was on Friday morning, White and Kruger were in the lobby of the UF team hotel having breakfast, talking shop. Saturday afternoon, the No. 25 Gators (15-5) will take on the Sooners (8-11) as part of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge at Noble Center.

That's a lot of high-profile Florida basketball ties crossing paths halfway across the country. A lot going on for the Gators, as well. But it's time to play another game.

"We're going to see how we handle it all," White said.

Members of the current UF basketball team surround former Gators forward Dorian Finney-Smith (middle), now with the Dallas Mavericks, following Thursday night's NBA game in Oklahoma City.

After demolishing LSU on the road Wednesday, the task for the Gators is to bring that same edge and set-jaw mentality they rolled out in Baton Rouge and unleash it on an OU team that is better than its record indicates.

[Read senior writer Chris Harry's UF-OU 'Pregame Stuff' preview here]

"We're playing the right way," junior forward Devin Robinson said. "We just have to keep it going."

The "right way" translates to unselfishness on the offensive end matched with aggressive, connected, communicative play on the defensive end. Florida had both in ringing the bell for a 106-71 bludgeoning at LSU. The Gators hit a school-record 19 shots from the 3-point line and set the night's tone by the manner they guarded from the opening tip.

The setting will be different Saturday. At LSU, the crowd was sparse and the Tigers put up little resistance. Neither of those elements will exist against the Sooners, who have had their issues this season, but Kruger has them playing some very good basketball now that starting point guard Jordan Woodard is back from a leg injury — they were 0-4 while he was out — and the four freshmen in the rotation are getting acclimated to the college game.

The Gators got a stern talking-to from White after last weekend's home loss to Vanderbilt. The subject was defense and getting back to playing it the way they did earlier in the season when the team was bouncing around the state, waiting for the renovation of Exactech Arena to be completed. Those games — and the travel — featured built-in bonding time that was different than most seasons.

Sort of like this trip.

Senior forward Justin Leon (left) works with assistant athletic director Tom Williams during a study sessions in Baton Rouge, La.

Two academic advisors came with the Gators this week to tutor and monitor homework and quiz-taking. After practicing and lifting weights Thursday at OU, the team returned to the hotel for dinner, then went to the Thunder game, staying after for some hang time with Finney-Smith, the leading scorer and rebounder on last season's squad. Finney-Smith was not selected in the NBA Draft, but made the Mavericks as an undrafted free agent and has gotten a share of starts, including Thursday against his former college coach.

After the game, it was back to the hotel for a meeting and film, then lights-out.

Friday was practice, study hall, optional shooting and more film.

Next up, a non-conference game — against an old UF friend — in a hostile environment that White hopes will further the Gators' growth in a different way than running roughshod over an SEC foe near the bottom of the league standings.

"You'd like us to have the right mix of confidence and humility moving forward, knowing what we're capable of," White said. "We've got to be confident, but we've got to understand why we played well at the same time."